“...with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love”
-Ephesians 4:2
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There is a sickness of sorts,
a malaise of mind,
sometimes of body,
the cure for which is offered freely,
but can be very difficult to swallow...
even when one is aquainted with the Heart of the Healer:
even when one is aquainted with the Heart of the Healer:
...It is our (my) very human tendency as very human beings to fixate on others' failings,
instead of focusing on the forgiveness offered for our own.
It is the difference between bitter and sweet waters;
we can be toxic waste or an oasis,
a seat of judgement or a Mercy seat.
We can finger where others are and where we think they should be,
or we can live knowing "but for the grace of God, there go I."
We can live liberated, liberating lives
or we can exist oblivious to our chains forged in contempt for our fellow man.
We can ignore our logs and pick at splinters
we can shift focus from ourselves to the other thief on the cross
we can rejoice in the incremental difference we gleefully perceive
between our brokenness and that of our traveling companions,
that thing that makes our brokenness look just a little less broken...
...or...
We ( I ) can acknowledge, and find freedom in the acknowledgement,
that we are all at the mercy of a merciful God...
all inexplicably esteemed as treasures in His trove,
equal parts prodigal and prized,
ruffian and royalty...
equal parts prodigal and prized,
ruffian and royalty...
...We can remember, and relax in the remembering,
that --Thank God -- His economy is different than ours,
that --Thank God -- His economy is different than ours,
His estimation of worth -- our own and that of the one we feel justified in judging -- is based on what He was willing to pay for us.
So the next time we find ourselves doling out damnation,
treating ourselves to the anesthetic, the incomparable intoxicating cocktail of Self-righteousness and Superiority,
May we see on that person the pricetag
placed there by Providence
May we see them as He sees them
as priceless...
as deeply Loved
and in so doing, may we see ourselves clearly,
fearlessly,
as priceless,
as deeply Loved,
and in turn,
be Healed.
"Judge not, lest you be judged."
-Matthew 7:1
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